Washington and Lee Hillel Newsletter W&L Hillel House, 204 W. Washington St., Lexington, VA 24450-2116 hillel.wlu.edu
[email protected] DECEMBER 2012 HILLEL (540) 458-8443 TEVET 5773 A Senior’s Perspective ball soup or the superiority of challah bread, A Summer In Israel I did not feel any different from my peers. Brenden Strauss ’15 Natasha Lerner ’13 My first year I was relatively uninvolved in Almost four years ago to this day, I Hillel, able to count the number of events As a politically conservative Jewish received my W&L early-decision acceptance and services that I attended on one hand. college student, the Yameena Fellowship letter. I was ecstatic — knowing that this During my sophomore year, I traveled opportunity was the perfect experience school was the ideal place for me in every to Israel on a Birthright trip and became a where the entire group was able to embrace way, except possibly one: I was apprehensive sturdier presence in Hillel, attending one our love of Judaism and politics, specifically about what being Jewish in a small, southern or two events each week. While I didn’t pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. school would mean. And yet, I was also seek Hillel out due to any ostracism, I did On the program that lasted two weeks, comforted by the Hillel website, which realize that being away from my family and I met influential Israeli and American looked welcoming — posted with smiling beloved New York City meant that I missed decision makers and leaders, networked photos of Jewish students and a triumphant celebrating being Jewish: the holidays, with fellow politically conservative young announcement that the money needed to traditions, community, food, and, yes, jokes Jewish students from all around the US, build a Hillel house was finally raised and and sense of humor.